Roy Hodgson reached the 400 game milestone as a Premier League manager and, in the circumstances, this point for Crystal Palace was one worth celebrating too.
Palace have been decimated by injuries, their woes threatening to put a dampener on this landmark occasion for the well-travelled, veteran manager.
They certainly hampered Palace’s hopes of following up their shock win at Manchester United with another three points and with Eberechi Eze among their latest victims it is no wonder they were not at their most creative.
Eze was one of nine first-team players Palace started this game without and they saw that number hit double figures when they lost first Jeffrey Schlupp and then Jairo Riedewald.
No wonder, Hodgson said he can’t remember an injury crisis like it not just from his 26 years in the Premier League but his entire near half century as a manager.
Crystal Palace drew with Nottingham Forest on a landmark occasion for boss Roy Hodgson
Neither side were able to find a breakthrough at Selhurst Park with both defences on top
Hodgson celebrated his 400th game as a Premier League manager and toasted a strong point
Still, Palace gave as good as they got and limited Forest to few clear chances at the other end to earn a creditable draw.
Cheick Doucoure joined Joel Ward and Palace’s star man Eze on the sidelines during the week though they at least had top scorer Odsonne Edouard back from his hamstring problem.
Forest, meanwhile, had their problems too, suffering a major blow ahead of the game, losing Taiwo Awoniyi for up to a month with a groin injury.
Forest’s pile up was not far off Palace’s by the end with Serge Aurier and Oriel Mangala also being forced off at Selhurst Park.
Palace started confidently in possession but Forest eventually settled and took control.
Harry Toffolo, making his first start since being hit with a five-month suspended betting ban, tested Sam Johnstone with a thumping effort from distance before Morgan Gibbs-White was inches away from a brilliant Forest opener.
He met Murillo’s raking long pass with a first time, cushioned lob over the advancing Johnstone. Everything about his attempt looked perfect though the angle of his contact was just out as the ball hit the inside of the post and bounced back to a relieved Johnstone.
Palace then suffered yet another setback when Schlupp fell to the turf and had to come off.
It was the last thing they needed though his replacement Jesurun Rak-Sakyi helped turn the game back Palace’s way and he emerged as their biggest threat.
The young winger lifted the crowd with a moment of trickery that sent Toffolo tumbling to the ground and, sensing the problems he was posing with his trickery and directness, Palace fed him the ball more and more as the half drew to a close.
Rak-Sakyi also forced Toffolo into a desperate block when he met a cross with a volley.
The final chance of the half fell to Murillo, the Brazilian centre-back creating it all himself.
He had possession just inside the Palace half and, under no pressure, drove into the open space ahead of him.
He burst between three Palace bodies, bamboozled Marc Guehi with some fancy footwork but then saw Johnstone save his first effort and follow-up.
It would have been some goal from the eye-catching Brazilian who was making just his second Premier League appearance since his summer move from Corinthians.
Morgan Gibbs-White came close to breaking the deadlock after his chip hit the woodwork
The midfielder was slotted through and lifted a deft finish over the onrushing Sam Johnstone
It was not until the hour mark that the first real chance of the second half came. Forest lost captain Aurier at half-time but at least had a World Cup winner to replace him with and Gonzalo Montiel’s volley needed a brave block from Guehi to prevent Johnstone having more work to do.
Just after the hour Palace should have gone in front at the end of a brilliant move from back to front.
Johnstone picked out left-back Mitchell who beat one Forest man before finding Edouard. His control and touch helped the ball onto Jean-Philippe Mateta who slipped at the crucial moment and could only slide his shot wide.
Palace were lifted once again and Mateta headed Mitchell’s cross over soon after.
But Montiel was a threat again for Forest unleashing another acrobatic volley which Joachim Andersen deflected just over his own bar.
And two more interventions from Johnstone, to turn way Gibbs-White’s shot and dive at the feet of Divock Origi, were needed to help Palace hold on for their point.
